Wichita eagle., 1887-08-31

with the rest Of the vegetables. When be
came home at night the gardener handed us
six York shillings, which was the profit of
our produce, and we divided it evenly, each
of US having two shillings. That was the
first money | ever earned, and never see a
boy trying to earn few pennies without
feeling renewed qualification at my success
in that endeavor
y SUCCESSFUL SPECULATION
my next financial endeavor," continued
the senator, twas in the following winter,
perhaps lit was the second winter after, I
don't recollect certainly, but it was in 1881 or
1857 We boys were in the habit of gather
ing store of chestnuts every fall, and putting
them in the garnet for winters use. We man
aged that year to get together about five BUSH
els, and that year chestnuts were very scarce.
One day our hired man came home from
market and told as bit of gossip that chest
nuts were worth S. bushel in market We
talked the matter over and concluded that
they were too expensive for our use. so the
next time the gardener Went to town we mt
what we had gathered in grain bags and sent
them in by him He sold them for s5 a
bushel and brought us home SIS, which Won.
perhaps, can understand, was large sum of
money for boys of our age in those days
when grown men were working for two shil-
lings day. It was the most successful s,,ecu.
lation of my life.
Until L went to Albany to study law. in
lo46, when L was % years of age, attended
the country schools and picked up the rudi
ments OF an education in them, being for
tunate In having most excellent teachers In
the summer worked on the farm and at
times assisted my father in his contracts, see
ing a little of the world around me. One
winter, when l was about is years old. and n
stout, vigorous boy, my father bought a lot Of
woodland, and told me that if | would cut
the timber off might have the proceeds. I
went at work with will, and cut 1900 cords
that winter-not alone, but with the assist
ance OF some men hired When the wood
was cut 1 hauled it to town and sold it to the
Mohawk and Hudson River railroad. now a
part of the New York Central system. /
made profit of 81 a cord ON the transaction.
and found myself the possessor of $4,000. It
was big job for boy of my age, but | got
through with it without the slightest diff
Guilty, and was naturally proud of NV
achievement.
TAXING Up TIE PEN
After finishing my law studies in the Office
OF Wheaton, Doolittle & Hadley in ALBANY
continued the senator, "and being admitted
to the bar, got the western fever and started
with another young man to the northern
part Of Wisconsin, where I settled down to
the practice Of law. was not very success
full. and while waiting for the clients used to
write On political and other subjects. and
took great interest in the village debating
society and local politics Nv writings were
so much praised that got a notion that /
was cut out for journalist instead Of law
yer, and there being no newspaper within
many miles of US, several of my fellow towns
men, who were similarly inclined, joined with
me IN ORGANIZING company for the purpose
OF puonshlng paper. was to furnish most
OF the capital and to have charge Of the en-
terprise. L had very narrow escape from
becoming an editor. But no man ever had a
greater respect for the power and the influ.
ence OK the press IS an educator and a moral
engine than l. Well, we learned that there
was press and an outfit of type for sale in
Milwaukee, which could be had for 500 We
raised the money to buy it, and started for
Milwaukee in a wagon to fetch it home.
1T was a long and tedious ride. and Won
may imagine my disappointment upon INV
arrival at my destination to find that M.
press and outfit had been sold few DAYS be-
fore, and that there was not another to be had
short Of New York The expense of sending
for one and paying the freight, for transpor-
tation was very expensive in those DAYS. mt
such luxury beyond our reach and the enter
prise twas abandoned. ! went back to the
law INIT soon aft.sr bad aratha~ xx.;-s.-.